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Lubbock STD numbers still climbing

Reported STD numbers in Lubbock on track to rise higher than in 2012 by end of 2013

Perryman

Sexually transmitted diseases continue to be a problem in Lubbock County, with more cases expected this year over 2012.

Meanwhile, the city ranks eighth in Texas and the county ranks 11th out of 254 Texas counties for STDs.

Local health care experts say the increase is due to less education about STDs and sexual health.

One of those experts put Lubbock’s numbers in context by saying they could compete with overall rates from some other states.

There is some good news, though.

Reports of AIDS and HIV are lower, with 28 cases reported in 2012 and nine so far this year.

Statistics

According to the Lubbock Health Department, 21 cases of syphilis, 386 cases of gonorrhea and 907 cases of chlamydia were reported in Lubbock County between January and June — a 168-case increase from 2012.

In 2012, 14 cases of syphilis, 290 cases of gonorrhea and 850 cases of chlamydia were reported within the same time frame.

Melissa Perryman, an LVN with the Lubbock Health Department, attributes the spread of sexually transmitted infections to more people having unprotected sex with little knowledge of their partners’ or their own sexual health.

“I think it’s partly somehow falling short of teaching new adults and new sexually active populations how to protect themselves,” said Naghma Farooqi, obstetrician/gynecologist at Texas Tech Physicians. “Education is very powerful.”

An STD Surveillance report provided by the Texas State Department of Health Services shows the data in terms of rates of infection per 100,000 population. Lubbock County ranked 11th in reported cases of chlamydia, eighth in reported cases of gonorrhea and 15th in reported cases of syphilis out of 254 counties in the state in 2011. Numbers for 2012 were not available.

Farooqi said Lubbock infection numbers are so high, they could compete with overall rates from other states.

Reports provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the average rate of STDs in Texas ranked within the top 15 state STD rates with gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis in 2011. Each ranking placed the state above the national average.

The reports can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website under “STD Surveillance.”

Farooqi said chlamydia has been the “king of STDs” in Lubbock since she arrived 10 years ago. She said she’s seen it more than any other sexually transmitted infection. She said it’s seen across all age groups, but it’s found mostly in teenagers and people in their early 20s.

“Prevention needs to be done so you don’t end up getting something that can scar you for life,” she said.

Transmission

Clinic visitors sometimes question how they got a disease if they only have one partner, Perryman said.

“People don’t like to hear it, but there’s a third person there,” she said.

It’s not possible to contract an infection by sitting on toilets or drinking after people, she said.

“You can’t get it from hugs or breathing the same air,” said Kim Swacina, Lubbock Health Department laboratory service coordinator. “You can’t get it from sharing clothes.”

The lack of visible symptoms often make it difficult for people to know they are carriers, Perryman said.

Having sex is the more likely way of transmission, she said.

Farooqi said seeking medical attention could prevent it from spreading more. Treating both partners instead of just the person who tested positive is a proactive solution to controlling the spread of infection.

“You can’t treat only one and not treat the partner,” she said. “It’s a ping pong game. Quite a few of them are positive because their partners don’t get treated or don’t go to the doctors to get tested. ...Pretty likely, almost 100 percent, their partner is a carrier.”

Education and symptoms

“We have to educate our teenagers and our young population before they’re sexually active as to how to protect themselves,” said Farooqi.

Abstinence is the best prevention, but condoms can aid in protection against an STD, Swacina said.

“This is something I learned from my teenage patients — ‘no glove, no love,’ ” Farooqi said. “If you have a condom on, even before penetration, you’re protected from a lot of infections, even HIV.”

Spermicidal gels and lubricants that kill STI viruses are available over the counter, Farooqi said. Some have nonoxynol 9, which can kill the HIV virus, she said.

“The gels can kill the virus,” she said. “Some of the condoms are laced with it already. Some lubes are available over the counter.”

Farooqi said it’s important to wear protection with unfamiliar partners.

“Use a condom if you don’t know the person,” she said. “You might not know that they’re carrying something. Some people might not know that they are carrying it.”

Many STIs do not show symptoms, she said. Symptoms most often show in women.

Farooqi said the Texas Tech Physicians clinics offer education, guidance and counseling for teenagers and young adults who are newly sexually active.

A common concern for clinic patients is confidentiality. Farooqi and Perryman said test results at their locations are kept confidential.

Perryman said the STD Clinic charges $20 for STD tests and an additional $10 for some treatments. Patients have the option of paying in cash so charges will not appear on insurance.

Swacina said the STD Clinic has a separate entrance on the southwest corner of the Health Department building and issues identification numbers to patients for the duration of their visit and follow-up appointments for patient discretion.

“They go by the ID number,” she said. “There are no names involved.”

Perryman said basic testing varies on the STD and the person.

“For a basic test, we might draw blood or they might have to pee in a cup,” she said.

Farooqi said some STIs such as gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis can be treated with antibiotics.

There is no way to know whether a person has an STD without being tested, Perryman said.

People who are sexually active are encouraged to seek regular testing every three to six months, Perryman said.